The Transplant Athlete: An Evolving Challenge Conference

November 10

This inaugural conference focusses upon the transplant athlete and is hosted by The Society of Sports Therapists in collaboration with Coventry University. The conference aims to promote research pertaining to transplant athletes and thus contribute to the evidence base of transplant sport and promote the contribution of sport and exercise therapists supporting Transplant Sport. The overall conference objective is to provide a platform to identify areas for development of training and performance guidelines for transplant athletes. Keynote speakers include Sir Maurice Slapak, UK, transplant surgeon and founder of the Transplant Games and Dr. Tania Janaudis-Ferreira, School of Occupational and Physical Therapy, McGill University, Canada.

As well as accepting primary research within the area of transplant sport the conference also strives to embrace the athletes own stories and journeys through the submission of short videos. Thus, the conference truly aims to reflect all who are involved in the support of the athlete (i.e. medical staff, coaches, academics and practitioners) and the athletes themselves to ensure all perspectives are integrated.

Key Speakers

Dr Maurice Slapak – Founding President of the World Transplant Games (1978-2004) and the current President of the British Transplant Games

Dr Tania Janaudis-Ferreira – Assistant Professor with the School of Physical and Occupational Therapy at McGill University and a Scientist with the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre in Montreal, Canada.

Thomas Hames – Course Director of Sports and Exercise Therapy at Coventry University

Abstract submissions

The Society of Sports Therapists and Coventry University are now welcoming submissions for abstracts for poster and podium presentations at ‘The Transplant Athlete – An Evolving Challenge: The Inaugural Sport, Exercise Medicine and Performance Conference.’

Abstracts for all areas of Transplant Sport are welcome to be considered for the Conference programme, but are likely to include empirical data, interventions and case reports.

Video Submissions

In addition to including scientific research, the organising committee feels it is important to share the experiences of transplant athletes.

Some transplantees were athletes prior to their transplant, while others became athletes after their transplants. Their journeys are therefore hugely important in understanding and learning how to best support the transplant athlete.

Transplant athletes are warmly encouraged to submit their transplant stories and experiences through short videos to be shown to delegates at the Conference. Videos should be no longer than 3 minutes and can relate to any aspect of the athlete’s story, but should include;

The reason for their transplant

What was their experience of sport or physical activity prior to their transplant?

What was their experience of sport or physical activity after their transplant and how it helped them (or otherwise)?

What is their key message to other people?

When submitting your video, please also attach a head and shoulders photograph of you, along with a 75 word bio. This does not guarantee that an abstract will be accepted, but should your abstract be selected, this photo and bio will be used in the Conference programme.

Following the Conference, videos will be hosted on The Society of Sports Therapists’ website.